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This week was great. My comp was still sick until Tuesday but Wednesday we got done to business. It was crazy. Although we didn´t get to work for the first few days it was probably the most hard working week I had on the mission. Being the Comp of the Zone Leader is great because we have this idea. How can we ask other to be teaching certain number of lesson, doing certain number of contacts, ect if were not doing it.
Our goal is to make the example to show others that its possible. Not to show that we are better then them, but to show them that the key is hard work.That really is the key on the mission, if your working hard all the time then you will see miracle. You WILLfind those Elects.
This week was filled with miracles. One miracle was on Wednesday. It was 2 in the afternoon which is the hottest time of the day and the sun was blazing.(37C) and ninguèm was on the street. We were scaling the walls to try to avoid getting burned and I had this feeling that I should knock on a certain door. This door was to the nicest house on the street by far and had a flag of one of the other churches down the street(showing that they are of that Church). This house had everything that pointed to people that would careless to hear our message.
But following that feeling we knocked on the door. A man opened the door and took pity on the 2 young men sweating head to toe and let us in. This was literally every missionaries dream. A complete family with kids. We taught the Restoration and about the Book Of Mormon. It was amazing because at first they were very closed off but they gained more and more interest until the ask us. So where can we buy this Book of Mormon? I don´t have alot of time to write but I just want to say that this was one of the most memorable moments in my life.The Holy ghost Told us to do something that didn´t make any sense at all. But we did it and it resulted in finding a family of Elects.
Crazy things happen when you are TRY to doing everything right. God knows that nobody is perfect. But he knows who is TRY to be perfect. For that he blesses those people. Its so weird how doing the little things right really make the big differences.
I had many more experience like the one I shared but I don´t have much time. I´m so grateful for my comp and that he has that desire to TRY to be perfect. I have already seen a big difference. I hope everyone will have a great week!
Also Bispo had me give another talk this Sunday. And surpise he asked me to talk about the Holy Ghost. Giving talks are getting alittle easier for me because I missionaries a always targeted to give them.
Last thing we made this contact with this man, Crispem. He is a professional fighter. He is crazy to say the least, he snapped his arm and he is still training. He love the missionaries and now he is giving us free lessons 2 times a week.(Don´t worry we got permission and were not fighting, hes like a personal trainer) Its super hard but im loving it. By the number of metals you can tell this guy is a winner.
Loving life down here in Brasil. hope everyone is doing great up in the States.Save some snow for me!
Com Amor,
Elder Seth
Well this week was way different for me. I was super excited for my new Comp to arrive up here in my area. (Elder Labrada, he is a stud. I have already done some splits and I know hes a great missionary. He the new zone leader in Palmas, and we literally are the same person but we grew up on opposite coasts) Anyways I was super excited because I love this Elder and I know that were going to work até o pó. But.... on the 12 hour bus ride he had gotten super sick. The first day we stay in the house and he slept, sitting up was hard for him. Things didn´t get better so the next 2 days we were at the hospital and there were doing a bunch of tests.
It took them a while to figure out what was wrong with him. But finally they said it was a form of Pneumonia. I remember when I wrote that being sick on the mission was one of the worst thing, that was a lie. Its worst when you Comp is sick because he is suffering and there is nothing you can really do the help him. On top of that, it was his Birthday this past Saturday. Wasn´t much I could do because I had to stay with him the entire week and he couldn´t leave to house. Luckily the other dupla was able to buy me supplies to bake him a cake.
Saying this week was easy would be a lie. It was hard for me because I have a bunch of Investigators that I wasn´t able to visit for an entire week! I was constantly thinking of them and worried because without teaching them they wont gain a testimony. Also looking out the windows and seeing the people walking around killed me because I know that I could be taking to them, marking visits, and sharing the gospel. Having hard core ADD didn´t help the situation.
Then I realized that this was actually a blessing in disguise. I was giving this chance by God to stay in the house all day to use this time effectively. I could chose to sit there feeling bad or get to work and expand my knowledge of the Gospel. For the past few day was I studying for 12 hours non stop. Book of Mormon, Bible, Language, planning for my investigators, ect. It was weird, usually when I would study for test back in High school 2 hours and I was done. But here on the mission I didn´t bored or restless at all. I think its because I'm not doing to get a better grade. I doing it because I want to become more informed so that I can be a better teacher to bring people unto Christ.
Its crazy how the mission can changed you weaknesses into strengths. Ill though I wasn´t able to see many miracles in other people live this week, I was able to see miracle in my life personally.
One of the most Spiritual experience I have had on the mission was this past Sunday. I was asked by Victoria(who was baptized last week) to give her the Holy Ghost. Wow, it was a life changing experience to give someone the Holy Ghost and to confirm them a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ, the Church that has the restored Gospel and has a Prophet today.
The changes I've had here on mission are all changes that will make me a better person, husband, dad, brother, co-worker ect. I can feel the changes in my life because of this Gospel. I'm so grateful for the chance to use 2 years to do the work of the Lord. When we have righteous desires God WILL bless us, its a written promise in the scriptures. I hope we can all stop to think, Is what I'm doing really going to benefit me and my family down the road?
I can´t wait to get back on the street teaching next week!
Love you guys, hope all is well
Com Amor,
Elder Seth
Hey Everyone,
This week was really great. When it first started I was thinking it was going to be super hard because being in a tri-o can be the worst. The 3 of us had so much to do! But is was actually great.
First off being in a lesson with 2 different missionaries you get to learn what there teaching method is. I learn alot from Elder Sanchez and Lenon. It was really cool because we all study from the same stuff but everyone has a different way of thinking. I was able to learn from there interpretations and apply it to improve how I teach. Through experience is the best way to learn.
Another great thing is we were extremely busy because we had there investigators and all of mine. There was no way we could possibly help all of them if we stuck together. So I did alot of divisions with members. I tried to do divisions with less active members to get them involved in the church and feel the spirit. I really had to step up because I didn´t have super man(Elder Sales) there to do everything I couldn´t. Having a less active with me a few times I had to pretty much do most of the teaching. Something iv never really done before on the mission. Usually I do 50% with the other comps but it was a great experience. It really helped me gain some confidence because earlier I was struggling with the language and thinking I couldn´t do it alone. Anything is possible, taking the first step is the hardness part.
This week my testimony of sacrifice has really grown. Doing what ever you can. Doing a act of kindness for your comp, fasting for an investigator, basically serving others. Its weird because you just feel better when your thinking of others. You feel happier, the days past like lightning, and you see the fruits of you labors. Its crazy that it took me this long in my life to finally learn this! Not only do the people your serving have a better life but God blesses you personally.
Lastly this Sunday the other 2 Elders had baptisms!! They had been teaching this family for 4 months! 4 months is a very long time for an Elder to hang around with a group of people. Usually we teaching for a short amount of time and if the aren´t progressing(reading scriptures, going to church, praying) we stop visiting them. We can´t afford to teach people not doing the things we ask because we have tons of other people ready for our message that will do what we ask. But they felt something special and they listened to the Spirit and they finally got baptized. Shows how the Holy Ghost will never lead you astray.
My New comp is coming up tomorrow, and its Elder Labrada!!!!! This kid is a stud I can promise you guys you will hear alot able him for the next few months. Im excited. Nós vamos trabalhar até o pó.
Brasil is the place to be. Im loving to. Working non stop all day without receiving a dime is the best thing ever. This chance to serve to Lord for 2 year is awesome. 2 years is a small sacrifice for My God.
Sorry Im not sending everyone a lot of emails, time is short but I pray for you guys every night!!!
Com Amor,
Elder Seth
THE END OF ELDER SALES
This week passed as fast as lightning, and it was a little bit frightening. Im sitting here on the computer and have no idea what happened this week because it came and left like a blink of an eye. As many of you know Elder Sales is leaving today and it is really a bitter sweet feeling. Sure he has to get his life going but being alittle bit selfish I want him to stay.
There are many things that I will miss of him. Always laughing, eating strange foods, talking about life, picking random fruits of the trees and eating them, teaching, this list could go on for ever but I think the thing that I will miss the most about Elder Sales is the example he was from me. The last week we had together says it all. Usually when a missionary is about to go home they take the foot off the gas, only talk about what they are going to do when they get home and stay in members house until the week expires. Lets just say none of this happened for a moment this week with my Comp. We worked hard everyday, every hour, very minute. And guess what? Like everything else in this world it paid off.
Half of the ward was gone this Sunday because they were on the temple trip. The missionaries had brought more investigators and less active members than actually member. By far this pass Sunday was the best Sunday on my Mission. Its another one of those moments that you can describe with words.Just seeing the smirk on Elder Sales face. Seeing how the gospel has changed so many peoples lives. That what Im doing here really does have a purpose. That feeling is one I hope to have many more time on my mission.
I really want to write more but don´t remember anything. One of our investigators name is Hannah(Shout out to my sister). This Sunday she showed up to church before everyone. Asked alot of really great questions during the class part of church, said the closing prayer and promised me next fast Sunday she would bear her testimony. Ela é só electo.
Eu não sei como fazer todas as coisas, Mas eu sei oque eu preciso fazer. Meu futuro está em minhas mãos. (I don' t know how to do everything, but I know that what I need to do is in my hands)
Hope every had a great Christmas and New Years break.
Elder Seth
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